Page 56 - China, 5000 years : innovation and transformation in the arts

The literati, as the culture -bearing elite of later 4. Zhang Guangzhi, Six Lectures 12. Chinese Buddhist
dynastic China were called, scorned sculpture as on Archaeology (Wenwu Association, ed., Chinese
mere artisanry but valued the kinds of paintings Publishing House, 1986), Buddhism, vol. I, articles on
that they considered metaphors of the Dao pp. 47-5 2- "Buddhism of the Northern
and Southern Dynasties," and
(primarily landscapes) or of the enlightened, 5. Part 1 of the Jiaosizhi in the "The Chan Sect" (Shanghai:
cultivated xin (paintings of various subjects, Oriental Publishing Center),
primarily in ink monochrome, that were expressive Han shu addresses the subject pp. 29-30, 319-25.
of supernatural beings and
in intent and amateur in rendition). Of course, defines the term wu as 13. Ckuanxilu, part 2, of
referring to spirits and demons. Complete Works of Wang
during the millennium from the founding of the Wencheng, Sibu Congkan
Song to the overthrow of the Qing, the styles (and 6.Yu Weichao, "Changes in
to some extent the subjects) of literati-approved WorldViews as Seen in edition, vol. 3, p. 31a.
painting evolved greatly, but without losing touch Archaeological Art Materials
with their secular, Neo-Confucian origins. from the Pre-Qin, Qui, and
Han Eras," in Collected Essays
Only in the recent past, with the introduction of Celebrating Su Bingqi's Fifty Years
Western knowledge and fundamental changes in
the political system and economic structure of in Archaeology (Beijing: Wenwu
society, Chinese culture has received massive shocks
Publishing House, 1989),
and Chinese art has been in constant turmoil. Of pp- H3-I5-

course, there are close links between political 7. During Western Han, all
systems, economic structures, and cultures, but tamous mountains and rivers
cultural traditions also have a degree of autonomy. were considered to be or to
house numinous spirits. Hence,
New culture and new art, which reflect new part 1 of the Jiaosizhi in the
Han shu says, "[During the
yearnings, must evolve out of the foundation of the Western Zhou,] the Son of
original cultural traditions. Contemporary Heaven made sacrifices to all
the famous mountains and
intellectuals must not forsake the search for a new rivers in the land, and to
culture and a new direction for art. In order for us mollify all the spirits, but there
are no written records of the
to correctly assess China s traditonal culture and
develop contemporary Chinese culture and arts, 1
and in order for modern Chinese to understand
rituals.'
their own values, it is necessary to review the
—8. The three relationships all
course of Chinas culture over the last five thousand
years, to think about the traditions existing within hierarchical but also
this course, and to understand the foundations of encompassing mutual
China's culture and its arts. The above ruminations
are part of such a quest. As to their validity, I await —responsibility are sovereign-

the comments of my readers. subject, tather-son, husband-

Translated, from the Chinese, by June Mei. wife; the five virtues are

NOTES human kindness, righteousness,

i. A.L. Kroeber and C. propriety, knowledge, sincerity;
together, sangang wuchang might
Kluckhohn, "Culture: A be understood as "the whole
duty of humankind"
Critical Review of Concepts (Definition supplied by
and Definitions," Harvard Stephen Allee, Freer/Sackler
Galleries, Smithsonian
University, Papers of the Peabody
Institution.)
Museum ofAmerican Archaeology
and Ethnology, 47:1 (1952), 9. Qian Mu,"The

p. 181. Contribution That Traditional
Chinese Culture Can Make to
2."Su Bingqi on the China
Dream of Archaeology," the Future of the Human
Mingbao yuekan, 1997:7.
Race," in Chinese Culture Past,
—3. Mircea Eliade, Shamanism —Present, and Future
Essays
Archaic Techniques of Ecstasy,
trans. Willard R.Trask Celebrating Eighty Years of the
(Princeton: Princeton
University Press, 1972). Zhonghua Shuju (Zhonghua

shuju, 1992).

10. Xin Lixiang, Studies of Han

Dynasty Painted Stones (Tokyo:
Doshisha, 1996).

11. Ren Jiyu, ed., History of

Chinese Buddhism (Chinese

Academy of Social Sciences
Publishing House, 1981), vol. 1,

chaps. 3-5.

FIVE THOUSAND YEARS OF CHINESE CULTURE 54